Brunner Launches BHiveLab

PITTSBURGH, PA--(Marketwire - Jun 30, 2011) - Independent, full-service advertising agency, Brunner, today announced the launch of BHiveLab, a think tank collaboration of brands, digital strategists, creative, and technology experts dedicated to producing marketing solutions to engage consumers on-the-go.

"Brunner has been pushing the digital limits for more than 15 years and now has an initiative that allows us to focus on all innovation, all of the time," said Rick Gardinier, Chief Digital Officer of Brunner. "From augmented reality and co-viewing to cloud-based technology and Near Field Communication, BHiveLab explores how brands can harness emerging technologies to engage consumers and provide innovative business solutions."

A key area of focus for the BHiveLab team right now is gamification, which involves using game dynamics and persuasive technology to change consumer behavior. "Game dynamics are all around us," said Gardinier. "You can see it in everything from reality television shows, such as 'Biggest Loser,' to apps that provide utility like the one from Weight Watchers, to social games like Foursquare."

BHiveLab has one innovation that is ready for commercial use, a gamified app developed specifically to help brands in the consumer packaged goods category better engage their target consumers. The app is the first social-mobile app aimed at people who tailgate at college and professional football games. Users can register their tailgates, compete in challenges, and score points. "Nearly every aspect of our culture is being gamified," said Shaun Quigley, who heads up the lab. "Location-based apps like Gowalla and Foodspotting apply similar mechanics. We wanted to create something specific for tailgaters to take advantage of the local, social, and camera features of their smartphones."

BHiveLab also tackles business challenges in a competitive environment. Monthly Swarms, or timed innovation competitions, pit teams against each other to develop the most inventive, dynamic solution around a consumer trend, category challenge or emerging technology. Recent Swarms have addressed topics including how to use technology to make life easier for CMOs.

"There is a need to help marketers understand how technology can work for them to drive better business results," said Gardinier. "BHiveLab does this and more."

For more information on BHiveLab or to be part of an upcoming Swarm, visit http://www.bhivelab.com/.

About Brunner
Brunner is a $220 million independent advertising agency with more than 200 employees in offices in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. The agency provides a broad range of services, including brand strategy, research and planning, advertising, digital, one-to-one, public relations, social media, mobile marketing, and Shopper Marketing, to clients such as Bob Evans Restaurants and Food Products, the Cub Cadet brand of outdoor power equipment, CONSOL Energy, Eaton Vehicle Group, Food Lion, multiple GlaxoSmithKline brands, GNC, Heinz, Huffy, Philips Healthcare, PPG Industries, and Wise Foods. In addition to being ranked among the Top 75 U.S. ad agencies, Brunner is recognized as one of the Top 75 digital marketing firms in the country.